Resident doctors across England have announced they will walk out just days before Christmas.
The walkout, which is the 14th since March 2023, will take place from 7am on December 17 until 7am on December 22.
The British Medical Association confirmed the industrial action, which will impact both emergency and routine care, following a similar five-day walkout last month between November 14 and 19.
Senior doctors will be relied upon to step-in to provide cover during the strike period.
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These resident doctors - formerly known as junior doctors - make up nearly half the medical workforce. They range from newly qualified doctors fresh from university to those with up to a decade of experience, including some with eight years as hospital doctors or three years working as GPs.
The BMA says it has been left with no choice after the Government failed to present a credible plan to tackle what they are calling a jobs crisis for resident doctors.
Dr Jack Fletcher, who chairs the BMA's resident doctors committee, said: "With the Government failing to put forward a credible plan to fix the jobs crisis for resident doctors at the same time as pushing a real-terms pay cut for them, we have no choice but to announce more strike dates."
He pointed to the "farcical extent" of the problem, with second-year doctors applying for training posts now being asked for experience levels that wouldn't have been required before.
Resident doctors across England have announced they'll walk out for five days before Christmas, from 7am on 17 December until 7am on 22 December
| PAIt is a situation that is pushing doctors away from their jobs and onto picket lines, according to Dr Fletcher.
NHS leaders have hit back at the timing, calling it particularly damaging during the challenging Christmas period.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, was left more than unimpressed. "This is an inflammatory act by the BMA. Everyone knows in the run-up to Christmas, we need all hands on deck," he said.
"It's totally unfair to patients and to other staff working for the NHS," he added.
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The latest strike marks the group's 14th strike since March 2023 - in which period they have earned a near-30 per cent pay increase
|PA
Rory Deighton from the NHS Confederation also warned the walkout would be a "devastating blow" to health leaders.
With winter in full swing, flu cases climbing and staff sickness expected to increase, he said pressure on services will be "intense".
The Government had previously put forward a package including more training posts, better working conditions and support for expenses like exam fees - the BMA rejected this, insisting any agreement must include pay increases.
However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has stood firm, refusing to negotiate on pay after resident doctors received rises totalling nearly 30 per cent over the past three years.
Wes Streeting has offered a variety of packages to the BMA, such as more training posts, better working conditions and support for expenses like exam fees - the BMA firmly rejected these
|PA
The union counters that even with these increases, doctors' pay remains a fifth lower than 2008 levels when adjusted for inflation.
Dr Fletcher maintains the strikes do not need to happen.
"Gradually raising pay over a few years and some common-sense fixes to the job security of our doctors are well within the reach of this Government," Dr Fletcher said.
The BMA's current strike mandate expires in early January, but it has announced plans to ballot members for an extension.
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